Loranthaceae FAMILY
Phthirusa stelis
Phthirusa stelis
Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5
Safety & Hazards
None known
Botanical Description
Phthirusa stelis is a small, hemiparasitic shrub growing in the branches of trees and shrubs. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use[ 348 Title Medicinal Plants of the Guianas Publication Author DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J. Website http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html Publisher Smithsonian Museum Year 0 ISBN Description A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region ]. It has been suggested as a potential source of rubber.
Habitat & Origin
Origintropical
Native RangeS. America - southern Brazil, north through S. America to Panama and Costa Rica in Central America.
HabitatParasitic on the branches of a wide range of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs[ 369 Title Flora of Costa Rica Publication Author Standley P.C. Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago Year 1938 ISBN Description Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet. , 473 Title Novon Vol 6 Publication Author Various Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis. Year 1996 ISBN Description A journal of Botanical Nomenclature. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. It seems equally at home in the crowns of undisturbed forest trees and on cultivated woody plants, where it often constitutes a serious pest[ 473 Title Novon Vol 6 Publication Author Various Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis. Year 1996 ISBN Description A journal of Botanical Nomenclature. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].